RavenReset - Gaming Recap of 2025 - A Year of Big Comebacks, Disappointments, and Absolute Classics

 2025 was an intense gaming year for me, but also a personal journey through the history of the medium. From safe blockbuster releases, through long-awaited sequels, to timeless classics that still hit with the force of a flashbang despite the years. It was a year where nostalgia clashed with modernity, and expectations often lost to reality… though sometimes, the opposite happened.

Instead of a traditional “Top 10” list, I decided to break the year down month by month - exactly the way it was lived. No averaging, no smoothing out the edges. This is my gaming 2025.

January - A Bloody Start to the Year

Blasphemous - 9/10

I kicked off the year with something heavy, oppressive, and completely uncompromising. Blasphemous pulls no punches - mechanically or artistically. Grotesque pixel art, religious horror, and weighty metroidvania gameplay combine into something almost mystical. Brutal, demanding, and deeply satisfying. A perfect way to start the year if you enjoy suffering… in the best possible way.

February - Japan, Sniper Rifles, and Indie Death

Yakuza 3 Remastered - 8/10

Surprisingly solid. While mechanically dated, it makes up for it with the Okinawa setting and a more emotional look at Kiryu. This is where the series starts saying something meaningful about its protagonist.

Yakuza 4 Remastered - 7/10

More protagonists, more perspectives - and more narrative chaos. Ambitious, sometimes excellent, sometimes uneven. Good, but not great.

Sniper Elite Resistance - 6/10

A competent, workmanlike shooter that brings nothing new to the table. Landing slow-motion headshots is still satisfying, but we’ve seen it all before.

Death’s Door - 6.5/10

A gorgeous art style and strong atmosphere, but something was missing in gameplay. Enjoyable, yet quick to fade from memory.

March - Soulslike Fatigue and JRPG Disappointment

Lords of the Fallen - 6/10

Ambitious and dark, but painfully inconsistent. Great art direction, average combat, and technical issues. A soulslike with potential that never fully materializes.

Yakuza 5 Remastered - 7/10

Huge, overloaded, but occasionally brilliant. It wants to give the player everything - and not all of it works.

Persona 3 Reload - 5/10

The biggest disappointment of the year. The remake fails to modernize archaic systems and repetitive design. Style and music remain excellent, but the magic is gone.

April - A Classic Returns and Artistic Freshness

Dark Souls Remastered - 8/10

Returning to Lordran only confirms how deeply this game shaped the industry. Still brilliant in level design and still merciless - though its age is noticeable.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - 8/10

One of the year’s most pleasant surprises. Strong style, confident storytelling, and a unique world vision made it hard to put down.

May - Assassins and Tactical Stagnation

Assassin’s Creed: Shadows - 7/10

Japan was a long-standing fan dream — and while the execution is solid, Ubisoft once again plays it safe. A good game, but without the “wow” factor.

The Division 2 - 6/10

A technically polished looter shooter, but emotionally hollow. Well designed, yet lacking personality.

June - Darkness and Mediocrity

Blasphemous 2 - 7/10

More accessible and less uncompromising. Still atmospheric, but it loses some of the brutal identity of the original.

ZZZ - 6/10

A perfectly fine game that simply… exists. And is quickly forgotten.

July - An Absolute Legend

Metal Gear Solid - 10/10

A masterpiece. No debate. Narrative, direction, innovation - everything still works. Proof that age means nothing.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey - 7/10

Massive, beautiful, but bloated. A game that would’ve been better if it were shorter.

Steelrising - 6/10

An interesting setting and solid ideas held back by inconsistent execution.

August - Strategy and Isolation

Fire Emblem: Engage - 7.5/10

Excellent tactical gameplay, weak story. Mechanics carry the experience, narrative does not.

Death Stranding Director’s Cut - 8/10

A meditative experience. Kojima at his artistic peak - though still not for everyone.

September - Metal Gear on a Pedestal

Metal Gear Solid: Delta - 9.5/10

A near-perfect remake. Respect for the original combined with modern design in perfect balance.

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty - 9/10

Narratively decades ahead of its time. Still provocative, still unsettling, still relevant.

October - An Unexpected Hit

Wuchang: Fallen Order - 8.5/10

Great combat, an intriguing world, and confident storytelling. One of the year’s biggest surprises.

November - Adventures and Dragons

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune - 6.5/10

The foundation of the series, but clearly dated today.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves - 9/10

A massive leap in quality. Still one of the greatest adventure games ever made.

Dragon Age: Veilguard - 7.5/10

A solid return to Thedas, though missing some of the old magic.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 - 7.5/10

Fantastic combat, chaotic storytelling. A game full of contradictions.

December - A Strong Finish

Space Marine 2 - 9.5/10

Pure, brutal joy. Spectacular, fast, and uncompromising — exactly what it needs to be.

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings - 6/10

Ambitious but clunky. A great story weighed down by rough gameplay.

Star Wars Outlaws - 8/10

The best Star Wars adventure in years. Atmosphere and freedom of exploration do the heavy lifting.

Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order - 8/10

Great soulslike even if you dont like Star Wars. Honestly a great game to finish the year.

The “Shame Pile” That Isn’t Shameful

Games started but not yet finished:

• Avowed

• Sekiro

• Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag

• Octopath Traveler

Each of them is waiting for the right moment and I know it’ll be worth it.

Online Games - Multiplayer as a Mental Reset

Between single-player epics, I also spent time with:

• Battlefield Red Sec

• Battlefield 2042

• DC Universe Online

• Rematch

• FC25

• College Football 25

Final Thoughts

2025 was intense, uneven, but deeply rewarding. A year where classics overshadowed new releases, and a handful of premieres reminded me that the industry can still surprise. If there’s one feeling that defines this year, it’s a pure love for games, despite all their flaws.

See you in 2026. 🎮